The invention relates to a level cover for tracks, wherein the space present between the two rails of a track is filled or bridged by slabs arranged in pairs which engage by at least one rim ledge in the fishing surfaces of the rails and are merely supported on the rails, bridging the distance between the rails self-supportingly, the two slabs of the slab pairs being assembled in hinge-like manner.
Level covers for rails are provided to allow road vehicles to drive over track regions. A particularly important field of use is in level railway crossings, i.e. intersections between roadways and railway lines. There, the mounting of the constructional elements forming the roadway in the track region is of great importance, since vehicles passing the crossing, particularly the rail vehicles, exert considerable static and dynamic loads on the traffic paths. In the region of a level crossing, the elastic properties of the track, which to a great extent are determined by the rail bedding, should possibly not at all or only slightly differ from the respective properties demanded of the track portions following upon such a crossing. This appears feasible if the properties of the rail bedding are not changed by constructional elements of the roadway that directly rest on the bedding elements.
Thus, with level rail covers, one has arrived at types of construction in which the space present between the two rails of a track is bridged by slabs which engage in the fishing surfaces of the rails and are merely supported on the rails, bridging the distance between the rails self-supportingly. In this respect there exist types of construction in which single slabs each are supported on the two rails of a track by their oppositely arranged rims, elastic sections being arranged between the rims of such a slab and the fishing surfaces of the rails. Insertion of such slabs does comprise certain difficulties and requires experienced workers, and, as a rule, it is necessary to insert two angular elastic sections at least on one rim side of these slabs to them on the fishing surfaces of the rail, one of these angular sections being placed at the rail base and the other one below the rail head. One way of enabling a simple insertion of slabs which are to bridge the space present between the two rails of a track in a level cover for tracks and are to be supported merely on the rails consists in the use of slab pairs whose two slabs are assembled in hinge-like manner, the hinge axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the track. In a known level cover of this type (DE-23 50 759-A2) the insertion of this slab pair between the two rails of a track can be effected in a relatively simple manner by folding up the slab pair, yet on account of the design used there of the hinge-like connection in the form of a hinge rod inserted between the two slabs of the slab pair, on which hinge rod the slabs simply abut, strong lateral forces which attempt to press the rails apart are exerted by the slabs on the rails, if heavier loads act on the slab pair, which doubtlessly is detrimental; there is also the risk that the stability limit will be overcome and the slabs will swing through downwardly until the hinge zone will come to lie on the sleepers of the track.